Car-coupling



(No Model.) p A W. s. BALBS.

' GAR'GOUPLING'.. A y

Patented Jam '7, 1890.

UNITED [STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER S. BALES, OF DES MOINES, IOVA.

,CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 418,671, dated January 7, 1890.

Application filed October 2l, 1889. Serial No. 327,738. (No model.)

To aZZ whom t may concern.-

Be itl known that I, WALTER S. BALEs, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented an Ilnproved Automatic Oar-Coupling, of which the following isa specification.

My invention consists in the construction and combination of lifting mechanism and a locking device with a draw-bar and a hinged draw-head, as hereinafter. set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the draw-head hinged to a section of a draw-bar in) such a manner thatthe head will swing vertically. Fig. 2 isA a bottom view of a section of a car. Fig. 3 a side view, and Fig. t a perspective View showing my invention applied as required for practical use.

A is a draw-head of that class that moves laterally to engage a mating head in such a manner that the two will be reciprocally hooked Vtogether as required to automatically couple two cars when they come together on a track.

B is an extension on the rear end of the head, adapted to enter a corresponding slot in a draw-bar in such -manner that it can be hinged to a draw-bar C by means of a pin cl, to swingvertically in the act of nncoupling.

f isa link-cavity and f a pin-hole in the head A, that adapts it to be coupled to a drawhead of common form by means of a common link and pin. p

g is a pin .or stop fixed to 'the under side of the car or a block xed to the endof a car in such a manner that it will prevent the draw-bar from moving laterally in one direction.

h is a spring connected with the draw-bar and the car in such a manner that it will in, its normal condition press the draw barA against the stopg, asrequired to retain the draw-head in a central position relative to the end of a car. y

m is a frame fixed to the side of the drawbar to support a rod n and spring r in such a manner that the spring. will in its normal condition press the end of the rod through coinciding horizontal perforations in the draw-bar and the extension B of the draw-` head, as required to retain the head extending forward from the end of the draw-bar and in proper position to engage a mating draw-head, and also to relieve the pin d from part of the draft force to whichit would othwise be subjected.

To nncouple two cars when connected by means of my hinged draw-heads, I simply pull the rod n outward vto disengage it from the extension B of the head and allow the head to drop by force of gravity into a vertical pendentposition, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3.

Y s is a rock-shaft in bearings xed to the car.

It has an arm s at its inner end, which is connected with the draw-head by means ot' a rod z in such a manner that the pendent head can be lifted by a person at the side of the car by simply operating the shaft, as required to let the rod n engage the extension B to retain the head A elevated and in position for coupling with a mating head and another car.

I claim as my invention- 1. The frame m, rod n, and spring r, in combination with the draw-bar C, and the head A, having an extension B, to operate in the manner set forth, for the purposes stated.

2. An improved automatic car-coupler coml prising a draw-bar having lateral motion and va jaw hinged to its front end to `move lateractuated bolt or rod in bearings attached to the side of the draw-bar, having a perforation to admit the bolt to enter a coinciding perforation in the rear portion of the hinged head, and a rock-shaft having an arm for lifting the hinged head from a vertical to a horizontal position, arranged and combined with a car to operate in the manner set forth, for the purposes stated.

3. The draw-head A, hinged to the bar B, the frame m, rod n, and spring r, attached to the side of the bar, the rock-shaft s, having an arm s', and the rod a' on the under side of t-he bar and head, arranged and combined with a car substantially as shown and described, for the purposes stated.

WALTER s. EALEs'.

Witnesses:

R. H. ORWIG, THOMAS G. ORWIG.

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